SHS Web of Conferences 112, 00043 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202111200043 Northern Sustainable Development Forum 2020

Memorial narratives and symbolic images as a resource for the development of Northern urban space

Irena Khokholova1*, Natalia Danilova2, Alyona Tomaska2, and Kyunney Pestereva1

1 M. K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, 58, Belinskogo str., Yakutsk, 677007, Russia 2Institute of Humanities and Problems of the Peoples of the North SB RAS, 1, Petrovskogo str., Yakutsk, 677027, Russia

Abstract. The article is devoted to the identification of symbolic markers and perception of the cognitive model of the space of the northern cities of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The definition of "northern cities" is constructed based on the results of a study to identify various aspects of identity (national, territorial, ethnocultural) and is used by the authors when defining all cities of Yakutia. The main tools for constructing and regulating the cognitive map of a city are city monuments associated with historical memory and acting as components of state policy and a nation-building tool. The main research methods were historical and cognitive analysis and the method of questionnaire survey. The novelty of the article is a cross-cultural study of the perception of urban monuments as symbolic markers of urban space. The authors observe a difference in the perception of the symbolism of urban space between generational groups. It is concluded that each city, depending on its geographical and economic location, local characteristics, and national identity, has its own specific set of symbolic markers in the cognitive map of the city. The findings will contribute to the systematic study of the value attitudes of residents of modern Russian cities. Multilevel models of symbolic images associated with both national and territorial identities are being built.

the process of modeling symbolic urban space, urban identity and territory [4, 5, 6]. To develop the concept of 1 Introduction this article, theoretical articles by D.N. and N.Yu. The city in its potential provides a dynamic course of Zamyatin and I.I. Mitin allows a methodological basis economic, political, socio-cultural, communication, built for the presentation of the city as a text and the city microevolutionary and other processes, acting as a as a symbolic space [7]. matrix for the life arrangement and life support of According to Yu.M. Lotman, the city is a complex citizens. Various socio-economic, political, and cultural semiotic mechanism, which is a "cauldron" of texts and factors influence the formation of the city's image. An codes, diverse and heterogeneous, belonging to different important factor can be considered the potential languages and levels [2]. V.N. Toporov includes in the contained in the cultural and symbolic sphere of urban concept "city text" all the information that streets, space, which is demonstrated through various “city squares, gardens, monuments, buildings, townspeople, texts”. According to D.N. Zamyatin and others, any city etc., openly or implicitly give us and “can be understood offers, as a rule, a multitude of symbolic images of as a heterogeneous text to which a certain meaning is different genesis, content, and structure, formed both by attributed and on the basis of which the system of signs social and professional groups, and by individuals in the realized in the text can be reconstructed” [3]. process of their purposeful activity [1]. These images The city becomes a "place of memory", a focus of can be presented as iconic symbolic markers of urban significant events, a repository and reproduction of space. historical memory. Historical memory is supported primarily by the cultural heritage embodied in material objects that become “places of memory”. "Place of 2 Materials and methods memory" embodies the unity of the spiritual and the material, which, over time, was preserved and passed The theoretical and methodological basis was the work from generation to generation through a remembering of famous Russian scientists representing the Moscow- culture, becomes a symbolic element of the cultural and Tartus semiotic school [2, 3], and the concepts of historical heritage [8]. Thus, the memory of the city is modern cross-cultural research were used. In particular, considered as a mechanism for preserving, broadcasting the concept of historical memory (place of memory) by and reproducing the past socio-cultural experience of Pierre Nora, conceptual provisions aimed at studying the urban life for the construction of being in the present [9]. socio-cultural life of the city and involving citizens in M. Castells argued that «there can be no spatial theory

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). SHS Web of Conferences 112, 00043 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202111200043 Northern Sustainable Development Forum 2020

that would not be an integral part of the general social globalization, the preservation and study of the ethnic theory» [10]. He was supported by R. Ledrut and noted: specifics of the carriers of the "living traditional culture" «the city does not matter in itself, outside of the practice is becoming one of the important factors in the in which people participate at a certain time and in a implementation of socio-cultural policy. Today, there is certain place» [11]. a gradual understanding of cultural heritage not only as a Group self-identification is carried out not only with system of spiritual values, but also as an image tool that the help of official political, but also recognizable can influence the development of the region. According symbols that are significant for the community. These to the results of questionnaire and spontaneous surveys, symbols are monuments, architectural structures, art the presentation of the cultural heritage of the indigenous objects, etc. Opportunities for interaction between the peoples of the North (Yakuts, Evens, Evenks, Yukagirs, elite and society are often seen through the attitude of the Dolgans) is considered a promising direction in the authorities towards them. republic and the formation of a new positive assessment The collection of primary sociological information scale for the perception of the image of the territory as a on the RFBR and EISR project "The Symbolic Space of whole (98.0%) and the formation of national identity Northern Cities of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in (86.0%). the Context of Socio-Political Processes" was carried out It is known that cultural and symbolic capital is by a questionnaire survey of the urban population in 13 mainly concentrated in rural settlements. Nevertheless, cities of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (n = 919). A in recent decades, in many Russian cities, including in questionnaire survey on 2 thematic blocks: the role of the cities of Yakutia, significant progress has been made the modern symbolic space of the cities of the Republic in organizing the urban landscape using the ethno- of Sakha (Yakutia) on the formation of political and cultural potential, which shows that the urban population national identity was carried out in September-December is quite adaptive to the political and socio-cultural 2020. In accordance with the established sample, the changes that have taken place. Thus, the revival of questionnaire survey covered the population aged 18 national culture in the 90s of the twentieth century gave years and older. The ethnic composition of the an impetus to the formation of a fundamentally new respondents is as follows: Sakha - 52.3%, Russians - attitude to cultural heritage as a source of social, cultural 40.6%, indigenous peoples of the North - 2.3, other and economic development of the region. In this context, nationalities - 1.8, mestizos - 0.2%, did not indicate special attention should be paid to symbolic images that nationality - 2.7%. construct and form the modern cultural environment (development resource) in the urban space and represent ethno-cultural brand codes: for example, in a 3 Results questionnaire survey, respondents indicate such According to 2020, Yakutia includes 54 urban monuments as "Bull of Winter" - a symbol of Cold, settlements, including: 13 cities, among which there are "Peak of Cold" (Verkhoyansk), "Olonkhosut" (Mirny), 4 cities of republican subordination, of which 1 city of "Kayury" (Neryungri), etc. republican significance - Yakutsk, the capital of the Republic. 3 cities are of republican subordination within 3.1 Symbolic images of the “North” the districts (Mirny, Nyurba, Pokrovsk); 9 cities of At the beginning of the XXI century, when the Russian district (ulus) subordination; 41 urban-type settlements. regions made a qualitative leap in the implementation The cities of Yakutia can be conditionally divided into and development of socio-cultural projects, and the the following districts according to several distinctive projects themselves became an effective tool for the features into the oldest cities (Yakutsk, Vilyuisk, development of territories, new cultural identity codes Verkhoyansk, Srednekolymsk, Olekminsk) and are being constructed. As a result of the actively pursued industrial cities (Neryungri, Aldan, Tommot, Lensk, image policy in the republic to promote a positive image Mirny, Udachny, Pokrovsk, Nyurba), northern cities of the Pole of Cold, the geocultural concepts "cold", (Verkhoyansk and Srednekolymsk). All northern cities "north", "winter" become a brand tool and as have their own rich history, cultural heritage, in addition, metaphorical images experience a "second birth". The they are symbolic centers of industrial development of cold climate of the region began to be perceived as a the Permafrost territory. For example, Mirny is source of additional benefits and opportunities for considered the "diamond capital", Neryungri is the "coal humanity and a healthy lifestyle, and the old capital", Aldan is the "golden" province of Russia, and stereotypical ideas that developed in the era of tsarist the oldest city Verkhoyansk, founded in 1638 as the power, as about "the land of eternal winter and cold", Verkhoyansk prison, received the status of a city in 1822 "prison without bars", and in Soviet times "the north - as and is the northernmost city and the center of the Pole of a raw material appendage" and "bear corner", began to Cold. Northern cities in their potential provide a leave the general perception of the Yakut region. Thus, dynamic course of economic, political, socio-cultural, the historical and cultural landscape as a panorama forms communication, microevolutionary and other processes, a "permanent space" and serves as an ideal position for acting as a matrix for the life arrangement and life seeing the world [12]. support of citizens in the harsh climatic conditions of the The promotion of the theme of Eternal cold, the North. positive brand of "Winter" on the world market In the context of modernization processes and contributed to the emergence of a new festival "Winter

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begins with Yakutia", which brings together all Santa country's politics, and only 54.4% are interested in the Claus, Ded Moroz, etc., to light the first Christmas tree history of the republic, which shows that the level of on December 1 on the main square of Yakutsk. The Lord interest is not high enough. At the same time, 67% of the of winter and cold Chyshaan, developed by the creative respondents know in honor of which event or historical intelligentsia and became the modern embodiment of the figure the monument was erected. In one question, the mythical image of the Bull of Winter, has become a respondents were asked to name prominent figures of national winter brand in Russia. importance for Yakutia, 93% of the respondents named In the socio-cultural space of Yakutsk city, a the figures of the Soviet era, only 6.6% of the answers metaphorical image of the center of the Arctic space is mentioned modern politicians of Yakutia. 49% of the gradually introduced. So, in Yakutsk, the Arctic State inhabitants see the Lenin monument as a symbolic center Institute of Culture and Art and the Arctic Research of the city, 23% - monuments to Yakut political Center appeared, the Yakutsk State Agricultural representatives of the Soviet era, 15% - monuments to Academy was renamed the Arctic State Cossack pioneers, Victory monuments (Memorials of Agrotechnological University, the construction of the Glory) - 7.6%. In the industrial cities of Yakutia, the Arctic Center of Epos and Culture is planned, etc. concept "symbolic city space" is associated with the The image of the North/Cold received a second wind development of industry - the "Peace" memorial, etc. As in the rebranding system "Yakutia – the country of the survey showed, the common history that the former permafrost", in which natural and climatic conditions Soviet republics went through is associated with key become one of the main tools for constructing figurative events in the history of the Soviet era (Revolution, Great and geographical models. Today, the cognitive Patriotic War, and others) and are factors in the perception of Verkhoyansk city is associated with the formation of collective historical memory. Depending on Cold Pole, and Srednekolymsk is represented as a topos, the perception of the monument by the town inhabitants, where the Arctic begins. In this context, the image of it acquires its symbolic function, mythologeme and Yakutia for the development of extreme, ethnic and becomes an identifying marker of this locus. Meanwhile, event tourism is actively promoted. not all monuments become iconic points. In Yakutsk, the It would seem that the symbolic capital constructed following monuments were named as symbolic markers within the framework of the new image and cultural of the urban space by the majority of the surveyed policy could lay the foundation for the formation of the citizens. The Monument to V.I. Lenin - the leader of the northern identity among the population of Yakutia, proletariat - 98%. The Memorial complex on Victory however, the results of the conducted sociological Square (1970-2005) - 95%. The Monument to the great research showed a different result. So, among the son of the Yakut people P.A. Oyunsky is 80%. The indigenous population, regardless of nationality, Monument to the state and public figure, one of the "northerners" consider themselves only residents of the initiators of the Yakut autonomy M.K. Ammosov is northern regions and the alien population, for whom the 80%. The Monument to the pioneer S.I. Dezhnev and his whole Yakutia is associated with the image of the North family is 78%; the Monument to the Janitor (70%); the and is perceived as the Northern Region. 80.0% of the Monument to the founder of the city P.I. Beketov (68%); respondents of the Yakut nationality in the collective the Monument to Mother (65%); the Monument to the image of "their land" intertwine the image of the founder of Yakut literature A.E. Kulakovsky (50%); the southern ancestral homeland, as the metaphor of the Monument to Academician V.P. Larionov (45%); the South as a "figure of memory" is translated throughout Monument to educator I. Veniaminov (35%); the cultural model of the Sakha people. It should be noted that not a single city has memorial Thus, the concept of cultural heritage in different complexes dedicated to legendary heroes or folklore versions is considered as a product of the development motives of the indigenous peoples of Yakutia. and transformation of the urban landscape and a factor in Nevertheless, individual ethnic motives are included in the formation of national and territorial identity. the general compositional structure of the monuments An important factor in the development of urban (hitching post-serge, deer, choron, sledges, etc.). space can be considered the potential contained in According to the survey, 70% of respondents would like memorial narratives that represent various significant to see monuments with a pronounced ethnic orientation events and personalities, urban mythopoetics, and ethno- in their cities (the first ancestor of Ellei Botur, historical cultural representations. In this regard, it is advisable to personality Tygyn Darkhan, sacred horse, sacred deer, turn to the study of the objects of commemoration of Ysyakh motives, epic heroes like Nurgun Botur, urban space. The main attention was paid to the Tuyaaryma Kuo, Yuren Khosun, etc.). monuments, since it is through them that the nation- As an integral part of the brand and image of the building landmarks (historical and cultural memory, urban space, 35% of respondents indicated monuments identity, value landmarks) are reflected. dedicated to historically significant events related to the industrial development of the territory (monuments 3.2 Memorial narratives of urban space dedicated to miners, geologists in the cities Neryungri, Mirny, Aldan, etc.). 35% noted iconic personalities of Information about the past and significant events of the ulus / district, "geniuses of the area" (a monument to country is broadcast to the population through the N.G. Chernyshevsky in Vilyuisk, L. Petukhova in monuments. A survey in the cities of Yakutia showed Nyurba, brothers Ksenofontov in Pokrovsk, etc.). And that 63% of the towns inhabitants are interested in the 40% marked local geocultural images (a monument to

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the Bull of Winter and the sign of the Pole of Cold in (generation of the Soviet era), which is characterized by Verkhoyansk, for a mammoth in Srednekolymsk, for a ignorance or forgetting of the country's historical events. diamond / brilliant in Mirny, etc.). The significance of a monument as a tool and a At the same time, the respondents indicated that symbolic marker of space, first, depends on the political monuments dedicated to residents, ordinary workers (a context and its introduction into the collective memory monument to a musher in Neryungri, an art object through a constant "reminder" of its importance and Dvornik in Yakutsk, etc.) and folk heroes (a monument significance in the socio-cultural and everyday life of the to sniper Kulbertinov in Yakutsk, journalist N. towns’ inhabitants. In this connection, the urgent Protopopova, art object "Doroobo" in Vilyuisk, etc.). So, problem is the task of preserving the accumulated for example, in Verkhoyansk, a sculptural monument experience and values, places of memory, relics of the dedicated to famous olonkho performer Daria past, as well as ideas about the past that are stored in the Tomskaya-Chaika, the keeper of the local peculiarities of memory of its inhabitants and the transfer of this Verkhoyansk folklore, according to the majority of knowledge to the younger generation. respondents (75%) on the cognitive map of the city, began to occupy higher positions (although it was installed relatively recently in 2019) than the previous Acknowledgments brand code of the city as the capital of the Pole of Cold, The reported study was funded by RFBR and EISR the mythological image of the Bull of Winter (25% of according to research project No. 20-011-31324 the respondents). "Symbolic space of the northern cities of the Republic of If only historical memory is associated with Sakha (Yakutia) in the context of socio-political monuments and memorials, then art objects and murals processes” and also with the support of the Ministry of are a kind of author's representation of a modern vision Education and Science of the Russian Federation within of cultural heritage. Although street painting appeared all the framework of the Program of Fundamental and over the world in the 19th century, it has become popular Applied Scientific Research of the Russian Academy of in Russian cities, including Yakut ones, in the last 3-5 Sciences "Ethno-cultural diversity of Russian society and years. In Yakutia, not only in cities, but also in other strengthening of the All-Russian identity" 2020-2022. settlements, they began to decorate the walls of buildings, which are mainly associated with both historical and cultural memory and local geocultural References images. 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